Blower filter systems are used for light and medium respiratory protection devices and support the user of respirator filters by reducing the respiration resistance, contrary to conventional gas masks, and thus making long-term use without fatigue possible. A blower filter system comprises the following principal components: A blower filter device worn mostly on a belt and a head piece, which is designed as a hood or mask. These two components are usually connected to one another via a flexible hose. The contaminated air is suctioned through a filter by means of the blower filter device, as a result of which it is freed from harmful substances and is subsequently sent via a flexible hose to the head piece and to the user of the respirator. The blower filter device itself comprises, among other things, a fan wheel driven by a motor and a spiral housing. The energy for the blower unit is made available usually by a battery. In addition, there exists a central control unit, which controls the motor of the blower unit and can process inputs of the user. A housing encloses, in general, the blower unit, control unit and battery. At least one filter can be connected to the housing. Besides the main function of transporting air, the blower filter device additionally informs the user of the current operating state as well as cases of defect by means of visual or acoustic signals.
Prior-art blower filter devices are closed systems, whose functionality cannot be expanded during their lifecycle. Blower filter devices are known which make it possible to recognize the connected filter and the head piece and derive an automatic configuration of the system from these data. If the corresponding software for setting the blower filter device of the newly connected filter or head piece is not known to the blower filter device, a corresponding configuration of the blower filter device cannot be performed. The blower filter device or the blower filter system has limited flexibility as a result.